The Flames Are Flickering
by abblmm
Summary: Set in Dragon Age: Asunder, when the group gets back to Val Royeaux. Cole agreed to become Tranquil, but he doesn't really know what that means. Rhys tries to warn him, but he doesn't get that chance. Lord Seeker Lambert gains the advantage.


A/N: I originally posted this on my tumblr mailcolejeevas. I saw a bunch of fics about the Inquisitor becoming Tranquil, and I decided to make a fic on if Cole was made Tranquil in Dragon Age: Asunder.

"They'll probably make him Tranquil. You know that." Rhys looked at Evangeline, and her face filled with compassion. She knew Cole had a terrible life, and she knew she had to help him.

"Would that be so terrible?"

Cole was quiet for a moment or two, then muttered, "No. That wouldn't be so bad."

Cole couldn't help but tremble as he followed Rhys, Evangeline, Rhys's mother Wynne, the elven man (Pharamond), and Red-Hair (Adrian) back to Val Royeaux. This was when everything would happen, where he would be remade. A new man, seeking a way out of the pain that threatened to consume him. Something was wrong, though. The air felt heavy, like smoke, suffocating, smothering out the light. It was wrong.

When they were finally allowed to enter the city, Cole hid behind Rhys and tried to blend in as much as he could. The soldiers glanced right over him, and he was for once grateful that he couldn't be seen. This was a bad idea, he was beginning to realize that.

The darkness was going to swallow him up. Cole crouched on the stone cell floor, his head resting on his knees. This was how it felt… before. The templars acted exactly like the last time, grabbing Cole by the arm and shoving him into the cell, laughing as they latched the door in his face. They might forget him soon, but that wasn't the point. He was trapped in this cell- the same one from last time, probably, if fate had a stupid sense of humor- and he was alone with his thoughts. No, he was always alone with his thoughts, but not like this. This was all wrong. This was a terrible mistake, and Cole was stuck here until they let him out.

They could forget about him, and he could suffer the same fate as the real Cole. No. He would fight for his life. Rhys was in danger, he could feel the man's pain faintly in his head, willing him to stay alive and calm.

The templar guards did forget, and Cole waited for hours, days even, though it felt much longer. He needed food. Even the stale biscuits the templar guards had tossed aside would help at that point. His stomach clenched in agony to his thoughts, but he shook his head in determination. He would not let Rhys be hurt. Not when all of this was his fault in the first place. He was not that man.

He wouldn't let Rhys get hurt.

—

Cole lifted his head slightly as the latch on the cell door clicked loudly, breaking the silence and his dark thoughts. A templar entered, seeming confused and shocked at the same time. "Get up. It's time." He said, his voice harsh and cruel. He was not a nice man, not like the smaller templar to his right.

"Where am I going?" Cole asked, even though he knew the answer already. The smaller guard's mind filled with evil thoughts, sinister and sanguine. Past memories that would never be forgotten. It seemed the man in the black armor had a plan for Cole, and these guards were helpless to fight back. They could, but then they would suffer death, or even worse, torture that the man was planning already. The man was sanctimonious, pretending to be a good man. Evangeline knew better. Cole hated that he couldn't warn the others.

"We have orders to take you to the other side of the tower. The Lord Seeker is waiting for you there." The bigger templar said.

Cole nodded meekly, standing up, his legs weak and threatening to give out from lack of use. This was a bad idea, but he told Rhys he wouldn't kill anyone else. Well, he would if he had no other choice. But not to make him real.

The templars stood on either side of him, watching him warily, like the Lord Seeker had ordered them to not let him kill anyone else. But he kept his eyes forward, but his gaze locked on the floor, watching his feet as they trudged closer and closer to his destination.

As soon as he saw the Lord Seeker, Cole went pale and stiff, and nothing he did could ease his mind. He was terrified of the man. This was different than the last time he'd seen the man. His mind was cruel, hurtful, not caring about anything but chaos. It made Cole want to run out of the room, flee just like the others had before him. But there were more templars now, but not more than twenty. He didn't think he had the strength to convince all of them not to see him, not when he was in the middle of the room, the center of attention. For once he was frustrated that he could be seen.

The Lord Seeker Lambert watched him the entire time, no doubt enjoying every second of his torment. The process itself took only a few minutes, but he loved dragging it out, making the mage pay for their crimes. It was the only way to keep the peace. If there was ever any peace, Cole didn't know.

When the templars first started the Rite of Tranquility, Cole tried to fight it. It was a strong lock, but locks could be broken. Usually. He could feel the darkness attempting to overtake him, and he couldn't help but cry out. No, no, no. Not now, not like this. He didn't want the darkness. He didn't want to do this. He wanted Rhys. All he wanted was to have Rhys comfort him now as he had in the Fade, saying soothing words and not caring that his tears stained his cloak.

As the Rite took a stronger hold of his mind, growing, gentle and greedy, erasing everything he held dear, all the emotion as well as pain, he could feel the numbness. It cradled him, almost like someone had done that before... but... who? Who! Cole wanted to know why he couldn't remember, but he didn't want to lose more of himself by being fed lies. Why couldn't he remember? He struggled, desperate not to succumb to the darkness, sacrificing his only remaining memories without even meaning to. And then it was done.

After a while, even the fear and pain went away. Cole knelt on the floor, dirt collecting on his leathers, the silence suffocating. Lord Seeker Lambert stepped forward, motioning for him to stand. So he did. For some reason, he felt compelled to obey this man. Cole stood in front of the Lord Seeker, and he met the man's eyes slowly. Black eyes met blue, and Lambert noticed how the boy's eyes had lost their sparkle they had before the Rite had been started.

"You are to do whatever I say, understand boy?" Lord Seeker Lambert watched the boy with intense interest.

"I understand." Cole replied, his tone having no emotion, and Lambert chuckled to himself. He motioned for the guards to take the boy to the main hall, and Cole followed them without hesitation.

As the doors shut behind the three, Lord Seeker Lambert knew he had won.

{If you guys liked this part, let me know and I will make a part two!}


End file.
